Electronic devices such as notebook computers frequently use touchpads to receive spatial input. For example, a touchpad can be used to control a pointing device such as a cursor. The user can touch the touchpad, typically with a finger, and the contact from touching can be detected and translated into electrical input signals to control the pointing device.
Touchpads are often positioned on an electronic device between a user of the electronic device and a keyboard of the electronic device. As a result, the electronic device must provide room for the touchpad below the keyboard on a base of the electronic device. The base must therefore have a certain minimum size, which can increase an overall size of the electronic device. The electronic device can thus be bulky and/or can have unused, wasted space on the base on either side of the touchpad that is located below the keyboard. Even if a touchpad is located on the electronic device at a position other than below the keyboard, such as to the left or the right of the keyboard, the touchpad can still cause the electronic device to be bulky and/or have unused, wasted space on the base next to the touchpad.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved touchpads.